Orioles season preview: 14 questions for 2014 [Pictures]

CaptionBack to Birdland

Jerry Jackson / Baltimore Sun

Things did not start well for the O's. At the beginning of the offseason, fans voiced their displeasure with the Orioles on radio airwaves, message boards and social media as the club worked patiently to make improvements. After missing the playoffs last year despite a second-straight winning...

Things did not start well for the O's. At the beginning of the offseason, fans voiced their displeasure with the Orioles on radio airwaves, message boards and social media as the club worked patiently to make improvements. After missing the playoffs last year despite a second-straight winning... (Jerry Jackson / Baltimore Sun)

Caption1. Can the team return to the postseason after falling short in 2013?

Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun

The Orioles remained in contention for a playoff spot until the final two weeks last season, but the end result disappointed fans after the team's march to the American League Division Series in 2012. After the Tampa Bay Rays swept the Orioles in a four-game series at Tropicana Field in late...

The Orioles remained in contention for a playoff spot until the final two weeks last season, but the end result disappointed fans after the team's march to the American League Division Series in 2012. After the Tampa Bay Rays swept the Orioles in a four-game series at Tropicana Field in late... (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)

It's hard to envision the first baseman performing as well this year as he did in 2013, but that doesn't mean that Davis will struggle after leading the major leagues in home runs (53) and RBIs (138). Davis finished third in AL Most Valuable Player voting after batting .286, and he also led the...

It's hard to envision the first baseman performing as well this year as he did in 2013, but that doesn't mean that Davis will struggle after leading the major leagues in home runs (53) and RBIs (138). Davis finished third in AL Most Valuable Player voting after batting .286, and he also led the... (Mark J. Rebilas / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

The answer to this question likely depends on who has the most success this season. If Cruz or Jimenez plays a major role in a deep playoff run for the Orioles, the answer is easy. But if both players struggle and the club falls short of expectations, fans won't be fond of the two free-agent...

The answer to this question likely depends on who has the most success this season. If Cruz or Jimenez plays a major role in a deep playoff run for the Orioles, the answer is easy. But if both players struggle and the club falls short of expectations, fans won't be fond of the two free-agent... (Kim Klement / USA Today Sports)

The Orioles were fortunate that Machado's knee injury last September wasn't as bad as it looked initially. When the 21-year-old third baseman tumbled to the ground and grabbed his left knee during an afternoon game against the Tampa Bay Rays, many stunned fans assumed the worst-case scenario of...

The Orioles were fortunate that Machado's knee injury last September wasn't as bad as it looked initially. When the 21-year-old third baseman tumbled to the ground and grabbed his left knee during an afternoon game against the Tampa Bay Rays, many stunned fans assumed the worst-case scenario of... (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)